Strategic Cost Engineer

Anglian Water Group; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days annual leave

Flexible working options

Private healthcare

Competitive pension scheme (7% match)

Job summary

Anglian Water Group is seeking a Strategic Cost Engineer to join our Commercial Assurance team in the UK. You will shape cost intelligence supporting investment planning, regulatory submissions and programme delivery.

You will work closely with Commercial, Finance, Regulation and Asset teams to challenge, assure and improve estimating, modelling and data governance. The role requires degree-level qualification and extensive experience in cost estimation within large programmes or regulated

Qualifications

• Degree-level qualification in Engineering, Mathematics or related discipline.
• Significant experience developing and assuring estimates using cost models in large-scale programmes.
• Experience in a regulated industry supporting business planning or price review activities.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, assurance and governance of strategic TOTEX estimates across major investment programmes.
• Manage and improve the Corporate Cost Estimation System and methods.
• Develop, maintain and validate cost models supporting planning, investment decisions and regulatory submissions.
• Provide challenge and assurance on project estimates, forecasting assumptions and cost intelligence outputs.
• Analyse cost trends, inflation impacts and efficiency opportunities to support strategic decisions.
• Support capital investment plans and budgets through robust cost analysis.
• Lead cost intelligence activities including benchmarking and reporting.
• Provide oversight of cost data governance and assurance processes.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to improve forecasting accuracy and commercial decision-making.
• Produce clear reports and evidence packs for regulatory submissions and audit.

Skills

Estimating

Cost modelling

Data analysis

Stakeholder mgmt

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

Cost estimation tools

Job description

We are looking for a Strategic Cost Engineer to join Anglian Water's Commercial Assurance team, playing a key role in ensuring we deliver maximum value from our multi-billion-pound investment programme. This role sits within our Strategic Cost Intelligence capability and is responsible for developing, assuring and improving the cost intelligence that underpins investment planning, business planning, regulatory submissions and programme delivery. You'll be a recognised technical expert, helping the business make informed, evidence-based decisions on some of the most significant investments across our water and wastewater networks. Working closely with Commercial, Finance, Regulation, Asset Management and Delivery teams, you'll provide challenge, assurance and insight across estimating, cost modelling, performance analysis and data governance activities. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys combining technical expertise with strategic influence and has a passion for continuous improvement and delivering value.What you'll be doing:

• Lead the development, assurance and governance of strategic TOTEX estimates across major investment programmes.
• Manage and continuously improve Anglian Water's Corporate Cost Estimation System and associated methodologies.
• Develop, maintain and validate cost models that support business planning, investment decisions and regulatory submissions.
• Provide expert challenge and assurance on project estimates, forecasting assumptions and cost intelligence outputs.
• Analyse cost trends, inflation impacts and efficiency opportunities to support strategic decision-making.
• Support the development of capital investment plans and commercial budgets through robust, evidence-based cost analysis.
• Lead cost intelligence activities including benchmarking, performance reporting and cost-efficiency assessments.
• Provide technical oversight of cost data collection, governance and assurance processes.
• Work closely with stakeholders across the business to improve forecasting accuracy, data quality and commercial decision-making.
• Produce clear, defensible reports and evidence packs to support regulatory submissions and audit activities.
• Deliver training, guidance and support to colleagues, helping to build estimating and cost modelling capability across the organisation.
• Drive continuous improvement across systems, processes and methodologies to strengthen cost intelligence and business performance.
• Degree-level qualification (or equivalent experience) in Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Mathematics or a related technical discipline.
• Significant experience developing and assuring estimates using cost models within large-scale programmes.
• Experience working within a regulated industry and supporting business planning or price review activities.
• Strong understanding of estimating, cost modelling, cost assurance and governance principles.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and data interpretation skills.
• Experience working with complex datasets, modelling tools and business systems.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and challenge constructively at all levels.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical information into clear business insight.
• A proactive approach with a passion for continuous improvement, innovation and high standards.
• Ability to work collaboratively across multiple functions to deliver high-quality outcomes. Desirable:
• Chartered status, or working towards professional accreditation (such as RICS or equivalent).
• Water industry experience.
• Knowledge of cost collection structures, asset hierarchies and regulated infrastructure environments.
• Experience supporting regulatory submissions and external audit activities.
• 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing with length of service)
• Flexible working options
• Private healthcare
• Competitive pension scheme. Anglian Water double-matches contributions up to 7%
• Life assurance at eight times your salary
• Annual bonus scheme
• Personal accident cover
• Virtual GP service